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I know, vicar, when you read this, it will flash into your mind that poor O'Hagan had been drinking again. You may banish any such thought ... there was a different look in O'Hagan's eyes.

Maitland's Panama was hanging on the hat-rack, Maitland's collection of walking-sticks bristled in a stand beneath it. Anisty appropriated the former and chose one of the latter. "Fair exchange," he considered with a harsh laugh. "After all, he loses nothing ... but the jewels." He was out and at the foot of the stairs just as O'Hagan reached the ground floor from the basement. "Ah, O'Hagan!"

There was much indignation, too, that Lord O'Hagan should have been chosen to speak the panegyric on O'Connell, seeing that he had actually sentenced some of those very prisoners. The Irish organisation in Great Britain sympathised with these views, and the various branches sending contingents showed their feelings by throwing in their part with the Amnesty Association.

"One thing at a time, please, O'Hagan. Answer me one question: Did she give a name?" "She did not, sor, though mesilf " "There, there! Wait a bit. I want to think." Of course she had given no name; it wouldn't be like her.... What was he thinking of, anyway?

It was in his mind to send a wire to Cressy, apologizing for his desertion of the night just gone, and announcing his intention to rejoin the party from which the motor trip to New York had been as planned but a temporary defection, in time for dinner that same evening. He nibbled the end of the pen-holder, selecting phrases, then looked up at the attentive O'Hagan.

Let 'em come to me half a dozen at once for money, weapons, and orders." Again O'Hagan nodded. This time he rose, and the two shook hands across the table. O'Hagan seemed to labor under a certain emotion; but Blizzard was calm, "Keep me posted," he said, "and for God's sake, Jimmie, cut out the little things. You're in big now. Forget your troubles and your wrongs. Leave liquor alone and dynamite.

"Wid these two oies mesilf saw ye lave three hours gone, sor, and I c'u'd swear no sowl had intered this house since thin. Pwhat does ut all mane, be all thot's holy?" "It means," panting, "brandy and soda, O'Hagan, and be quick." Maitland attempted to rise, but his legs gave under him, and he sank back with a stifled oath, resigning himself to wait the return of normal conditions.

As he dropped the curtains his eye was arrested by a gleam of white upon his desk, a letter placed there, doubtless, by O'Hagan in Maitland's absence. At the same time, a splashing and gurgling of water from the direction of the bath-room informed him that the janitor-valet was even then preparing his bath. But that could wait.

Simultaneously heavy feet were to be heard clumping up the basement steps; and surmising that the janitor was coming to light the hall, the young man waited, leaning over the balusters. His guess proving correct, he called down: "O'Hagan? Is that you?" "Th' saints presarve us! But 'twas yersilf gave me th' sthart, Misther Maitland, sor!"

When'll yeh be in?" "I'll leave a note for you with O'Hagan. Is that all?" "Yep that is, there's somethin' else...." "Well?" "Excuse me for mentionin' it, but I didn't know it ain't generally known, yeh know, 'nd one uh th' boys might've heard me speak tuh yer lady by name 'nd might pass it on to a reporter.